


bending reality

by Secret_Ignis



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Endgame, Infinity War, Reality Stone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-13 13:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20174746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Secret_Ignis/pseuds/Secret_Ignis
Summary: alternate to what could have happened when stephen gave over the stone





	bending reality

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry  
this is my first fic  
don't kill me

"Stop." 

Stephen's voice echoed through the mostly quiet battleground, ceasing all movement. 

Dropping the blade, still stabbed clean through Tony's chest, Thanos turned to face Stephen. 

"No..." Tony gasped out, through sticky coughs full of blood. Stephen's quick glance back at him, in addition to beginning to bleed out, stopped him from speaking more - a spectacular feat for Tony. He dropped to his knees, held as much pressure as he could gather to his chest, and concentrated his energy on staying awake. 

"I'll give you the stone. Spare his life." To prove his promise, he unlocked the locket around his neck and pulled out the glowing green stone, holding it out to Thanos. Tony shook his head so violently that he lost vision and hearing for a moment, everything going fuzzy and dark. As soon as he regained awareness of his surroundings, a tremendous glow, emanating from Thanos' gauntlet, blinded his eyes again. Shaking off the painful shine, Tony became aware of Stephen's attempted eye contact, and met it. 

"It was the only way." Tony trusted him. Maybe he shouldn't have, but he did. The knowing smile, the slightly raised eyebrow, told him that Stephen knew something he didn't. Which would make sense, because of his powers pertaining to the Time Stone, and what he had insinuated earlier. 

Then something went wrong. 

Something that wasn't supposed to happen - he could feel it. Stephen glitched out, similar to earlier. However, this time, he was clearly not in control of the glitching. Tony swung around to stare at Thanos, who was grinning at Stephen. Then he noticed Tony, and his smile widened. He tapped the Reality Stone, which glowed a bright red. Tony's eyes unfocused, and only noticed how ironically beautiful the blood soaking his sweatshirt looked in the glow of the stone. Thanos began laughing. His laughter grew louder and louder, filling his ears, until it was all he could hear. He tried looking around for Stephen, for the kid, for anyone, but the laughter felt solid, and he couldn't see through it. 

Then everything went silent. 

The battlefield was empty. 

"You are alone." 

Tony glanced around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Of course, it was Thanos, but where was he? No matter where Tony looked, he couldn't find him. He was literally a giant, how much could he hide? But he was gone, and there, at the same time. 

"They're all gone." 

They were all there. Peter, Pepper, Harley, Rhodey, Steve, Stephen. Tony reached out, trying to grab for any of them, but each dissolved into dust before he could. The dust crumbled, soundlessly, between his fingers, and blew away on the dry wind. Their faces - pleading, gasping, crying - were the last to go, bringing tears to Tony's eyes. He fell to his knees, nearly no energy left. 

"I can see all the possibilities now. You have one option left." 

Rogers' shield appeared on the ground, the blade that Thanos had drove into his chest just minutes before accompanying it, laying in the dust. He gathered the rest of his strength, pulled the shield onto his arm, and picked up the blade. As if on cue, Thanos materialized in front of him. Staring up at the monster, Tony nearly gave up. How could he face this giant, and what good would it do? He had already lost everyone who he cared about. But then he realized - that's why he had to at least try.

He was an Avenger. He had to avenge the fallen. 

He raised the shield to cover the left side of his body, and raised the blade to point at Thanos. Suddenly, Thanos' face dropped, as did he. Falling onto his knees, he clasped his hands together, pleading with Tony. 

"You won't do this. Spare me. Please. They wouldn't want you to do this." 

Tony stopped, holding the hovering blade now above Thanos' head. He considered. Just for a moment. Then decided. He swung the blade, driving it through where Thanos' head should have been. By the time he had swung to that point, though, his head had disappeared, along with the rest of him. And the rest of the illusion. He had too much momentum, and had to follow through with the swing. The pain ripped through him. 

Everything disappeared, dissolving into the original battlefield. Everything but the blade. Tony glanced around, trying to process the true reality. Peter had made it to a mostly sitting up position, and was staring at him in horror. 

"T-tony?" He tried to get out a word. 

"K-kid, I-" But no sound came out. He finally glanced down to where the blade had finally landed, for the second time. 

Fresh blood poured over the not-yet-dried blood that was caked into his sweatshirt. It dripped down the blade and onto his hand, which was still holding the handle. Stephen stared on, truly frozen. A tap of the Time Stone, and Thanos made sure the same fate was assigned to the others, who had begun to pick themselves up to come to the aid of Tony. Just the two of them could move, though only one had control over his movement. Tony was consigned to the involuntary muscle jerking over the cold metal. Thanos grabbed Tony's chin, smiling terribly wide. 

"And so the winner of the Endgame is declared. The loser is defeated - by his own hand." 

Tony stared up into his dark, lifeless eyes, then at the movement of the gauntlet close to his face. The two fingers rising to meet each other, the glow of the stones. 

Nothing else.


End file.
